Don't Go
by kath44
Summary: A K/D. Yes, another one. Fluff, weddings, etc. Set after Lady Knight. My first fanfic.
1. Chapter 1

It was a cool, cloudless day. The sun shone but gave hardly any warmth. The chilly wind rustled the leaves in the trees and whipped Kel's sun-streaked mouse-brown hair into her eyes. Unconsciously she reached up, tucked it behind her ear and shifted in her saddle. Hoshi flicked her ears in annoyance.

Kel was edgy. She'd been like this since she woke up early this morning. Her hands shook through breakfast, earning her more than a few concerned glances from Tobe, Neal was still waking up and was oblivious to the world around him. At first she didn't know why she felt so nervous and shaky, she didn't feel sick. Then she'd realised. Today was the last stretch of the journey to Fort Steadfast. _He_ would be there.

Ever since coming back from Scanra Dom had invaded her thoughts. The longer they'd been apart, the more she thought of him.

She looked down. Her hands gripped the reins so tight the knuckles showed white. She gritted her teeth and attempted to relax. How did just the thought of seeing him again make her go all giddy like some fickle – she struggled to find the right word – _girl_?

It wasn't like she was in love. She couldn't be. She was Keladry of Mindelan, Lady Knight and now Protector of the Small. She was too busy to be in love. The war with the Scanrans wasn't over and Lord Wyldon had hinted in his letter that there was some important news she needed to hear. Bad news from the sound of it. Besides, when she chose the life of a knight she accepted that she wouldn't have much of a love life.

Looking up she caught her good friend Neal giving her a puzzled look. She'd fallen some way behind him, lost in thought.

"It's not like we've got all day to get there, Kel," he said impatiently. He'd been anxious to get to the Fort to see Yuki and had complained about the pace all day.

Kel laughed; a short bark of a laugh. She clapped a hand over her mouth. Neal raised an eyebrow. Tobe gave her an odd look. What was _wrong_ with her?

They paused for a moment at the top of a hill and looked over Fort Steadfast. Once again Kel felt stirrings of jealousy at Steadfast's defences, which were so much better than New Hope's. Banners snapped in the breeze and she could make out the small forms of sentries on the walls. He would be in there somewhere, joking with his men or practicing with his weapons. She shook herself. She was doing it again. Shoving him to the back of her mind she resolved to think about him less. There were more important things that needed her undivided attention.

Neal, with a flash of a grin over his shoulder, urged his horse into a trot. Kel hesitated, steeling herself, and followed him, Tobe a second behind. Horn calls signalled their approach. The gates swung open as they got closer.

The men on the wall closest to the gate grinned down at them. "Welcome back, Lady," one of them she recognised called. He was from the King's Own.

Kel waved back with a quick smile. He was definitely here, then. She turned to the front. It was still early in the morning so only a small crowd was arriving to greet the newcomers. Sure enough there was Dom, striding across the yard, his mouth curved into his familiar smile and his blue eyes twinkling.

**Note: My first fanfic. So R&R, you know what to do.**


	2. Chapter 2

Kel's heart did a somersault. She watched him for a few moments, and then became aware the party was dismounting. She hurried to do the same. Neal was looking around anxiously. When he saw Yuki walking calmly toward them he jogged over to her with a big grin on his face. He lifted her off her feet, swinging her around. Yuki, surprised and caught off guard, laughed and kissed him.

Kel smiled. Yuki was losing more of her Yamani ways the more time she spent in Tortall. Suddenly an image of her and Dom in the same situation sprang to mind. She looked at her feet, suppressing feelings of jealousy.

"Kel!" She turned. There he was. All of a sudden she was being crushed in Dom's arms. "Gods it's good to see you again." She breathed in his scent deeply, then, realising what she was doing, stiffened slightly.

He let her go, gently pushing her to an arm's length away. His hands rested on her shoulders as he studied her face. His nearness was doing crazy things to her emotions, but she tried to look calm and in control. "Are you alright?" he asked, concerned.

Kel looked down at her feet. She couldn't look into his eyes without her heart beating a wild pattern on her chest. She thought that by seeing him again she could prove to herself that she didn't like him in _that_ way. Instead her feelings were getting out of hand. She needed a distraction. "I'm fine," she replied, smiling politely at him with her Yamani mask on.

Dom frowned and looked like he was about to say something but Neal strode over, interrupting him. "I think she's catching something." He'd picked up a lot since the morning. "I think she needs a break." Yuki was a step behind him.

Kel sighed inwardly. The last thing she needed was a break. That'd give her too much time to think about things. Yuki was giving her a thoughtful look and flicking her eyes between Kel and Dom.

"Kel!" It was Owen. He ran over. Punching Dom he complained, "You beat me to it!" He gave her a quick, hard hug. "We missed you!" he cried, looking up with wide eyes into her face. Kel just laughed and disentangled herself from him.

Lord Wyldon strode over. "Welcome back, Keladry. Glad to see you alive and well." He looked at Owen. "I think Neal would probably like to see where he'll be staying."

Owen looked at his feet, then back up again, slightly pink. "Of course, my lord," he replied politely. Neal and Kel exchanged amused glances. "If you'll follow me." He gave Dom a pointed look, which Dom answered with a nod. He hurried off with Neal toward the main building. Yuki nodded politely to Wyldon, Kel and Dom then followed them.

"After you've eaten and unpacked, would you come to my office for a meeting we're holding after lunch? I need to discuss some things with you and a few others." He nodded curtly and strode off.

Kel looked around. It seemed that Tobe had already taken Peachblossom and Hoshi to the stables. The men had gone somewhere. That left her with Dom. Alone.

"Something's happening with the war," he said seriously. "People are coming and going a lot. Only a few at a time so that you don't notice anything's changed. No one seems to really know what's going on and those that do are keeping quiet about it."

"So how come you know all this, then," she accused.

He raised his eyebrows in an expression so like Neal's that she had to laugh. He looked offended. They headed off to the mess hall. "A little birdie."

Kel remembered the look shared between the sergeant and a certain squire. "Owen. I should have guessed."

"Yes, you should have. I thought commanders had brains?" He feigned worry. "Gods. To think I actually followed you into Scanra."

**WOW!! Thanks to reviewers – all little tips help a lot and you give me nice warm fuzzy feelings!! I'm not sure how far the story will go. If you guys have any suggestions feel free to tell me!**


	3. Chapter 3

She'd done it. She'd survived dinner without giving away her feelings. She'd also got Neal to eat all his vegies. Kel had to admit, though, it was a lot easier with Yuki there. She wished she could let Dom know that she loved him. She stopped in shock. She _loved_ him? When had she decided this?

She shook her head. She was way too tired and some of the drink must have gotten to her. She was so lost in thought - how many drinks had she had? - that she didn't see Lord Raoul until she walked into him.

He steadied her as she stumbled backwards. "Are you OK?" he asked, concern all over his face.

Kel nodded. "I'm fine," she replied absently.

"If you're sure." When she nodded again he asked, "Were you going to Wyldon's meeting?" He pointed behind her. "It's back that way." He chuckled at her expression.

Kel mentally kicked herself. She needed to pay more attention. She couldn't let anyone know. _Anyone._ She quickly slipper her mask on. "Oh," she said.

They walked to Wyldon's office together, the last to arrive. Flyn was already there talking to an old, battle scarred captain. Wyldon was deep in discussion with the commander of the Queen's Riders, George and two others. A few knights were present, including Neal and Alanna.

As the door clicked shut everyone turned to watch them walk across the room. Kel pushed all thoughts of love and Dome safely to the back of her mind. "Well, finally," the scarred captain grumbled.

Wyldon, an amused smile on his face, gestured to several seats positioned in front of his desk. When they were all seated he cleared his throat. "I'm sure most of you have heard rumours that something big is about to happen concerning the war. Some of you know already." He nodded at Raoul, Alanna and two others. "For those who don't Scanra has allied with the Copper Isles. We are now dealing with hostile forces on two borders."

Kel looked up sharply from where she'd been studying a corner of the desk. She remembered what Dom said about the movement of soldiers.

"We're pretty sure they don't know we know," he continued, "so we're keeping pretty quiet about it. Well, as quiet as we can be. The raids on the northern border are easing," at this several people nodded, "so we're moving troops to the coast a few squads at a time. We're assuming they're massing for an attack somewhere along there.

"Since the coast is unprepared and low on resources I'm going to send Third Company of the King's Own to patrol and assist where it's needed. Several knights will be assigned under the command of Lord Raoul who will be leading the patrols. Lady Alanna, Sir Neal and Lady Keladry, if you have any questions please address Raoul who has been briefed on what he needs to do."

He continued to speak for a while longer, but Kel hardly heard him. She was looking at her shoes and a roaring filled her ears. She was leaving her people already? New Hope was only just over halfway built, if something happened they needed someone who knew them and their capabilities well to lead them properly. There was Merric but she'd prefer to be there herself. She clenched her fists in anger. She was abandoning them!

She didn't realise the meeting was over until she heard Lold Wyldon say, "Don't mention any of this to anyone who doesn't already know. Thank you for your attention. She felt Raoul's hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, a long way up.

"Are you sure you're alright, Kel? You look pale."

Kel stood abruptly and stalked out, only just managing to prevent slamming the door behind her. Alanna walked up to Raoul and said quietly, putting one hand on his shoulder, "I guess that's a no."

**I know Kel's a bit out of character here and this chapter's not that exciting, but I needed to let you guys know what was going on.**


	4. Chapter 4

Kel spun and thrust with her glaive in one of the more complex pattern dances. Her breath was ragged and her hair soaked in sweat. Unnoticed by her drops of it fell off her face to land with a wet splat on the floor of the practice court.

That wasn't the only thing that escaped her attention. Dom watched from the sidelines, brows raised. Anyone but her closest friends would miss the way her jaw jutted forward and how she stamped her foot like the very idea of ground under her feet offended her. To put it mildly, something bothered the Lady Knight.

She finished with a downward slice that stopped inches off the floor. After she held the position for a few moments she stepped back and swung the weapon so the butt rested on the floor.

Before she could begin another dance Dom strode quickly to greet her. Kel started when he spoke. She hadn't noticed him approaching. Her face instantly smoothed into her emotionless mask. "Hello. Something on your mind?"

Flashing hazel eyes met his. Dom took a step back. Whatever the news had been in the meeting, he was sure she didn't like it. "Wow, good guess," she answered shortly. "First and most important is how I'm going to kill Lord Wyldon so slowly and painfully that he'll wish he never met me. Scratch that, he'll wish he'd never been born."

She headed for the benches where towels and pitches of water were arranged for the use of anyone training. "Then there's King Maggot," she spoke his name with contempt. Her face was still impassive but her eyes and voice betrayed her anger. "Oh, how I'm going to have fun with him."

She dumped water on her head and towelled it off briskly. She rested the glaive against the wall and dropped onto a bench. Dom followed suit. Normally his nearness would have given her goosebumps, but she was too angry to care.

"So what actually happened?" Dom tried in vain to keep amusement out of his voice.

Kel shot him a withering glare and looked like she was about to say something but thought better of it. She sighed and leaned back so her head rested on the wall behind her. "It's just… I don't understand," she said, a lot calmer. "He gives me a job to do but pulls me out halfway through and says I have something that's more important to spend my time on," she said matter of factly. She'd regained control of her emotions.

"Lord Wyldon?"

Kel nodded and continued. "As if patrol is more important than helping the homeless build homes and teaching the defenceless to defend themselves. I mean, it's not like the coast is _that_ unprepared and a major attack probably won't come for who knows-" Clapping her hand to her mouth she looked at Dom. "Don't tell anyone," she warned, poking a finger into his chest. "If you do, so help me you'll regret-"

Dom held up his hands, an exaggerated expression of innocence on his face. "Tell them what? That you're planning on torturing the Stump? I'm sure a lot of his former pupils would gladly help you. Other than that I didn't hear a thing."

Kel could only hold her mask in place for so long before bursting into laughter. Dom grinned. He loved making her laugh. It made his chest constrict and his heart sing.

When Kel had finally recovered she looked up into a pair of shockingly purple eyes. The expression on Alanna's face set her off into fresh peals of laughter.

"I see you've gotten over you're little spat in the office." Kel looked down, a blush rising to her cheeks. In part her anger had been directed at herself for losing control. There was a time where she could have smiled politely at Wyldon and even complimented him on his good thinking. Lately, however, she was finding that she was less and less able to sink into her Yamani calm.

"Wyldon was quite surprised. Oh, yes, he noticed all right. He was looking out for your reaction." She chuckled. "I didn't think there was anything that could shock him that badly. He expected you to be angry, but throwing a tantrum was on the bottom of the list."

"It wasn't that bad, was it?" Kel asked plaintively as Alanna sat next to her and stretched herself out.

The red head grinned at her and nodded. "I came to cheer you up but it looks like someone beat me to it. And did a hell of a better job of it than I would." She gave Dom a sly glance. "Did Raoul send you out here?"

Dom looked down for a moment. Was he _blushing_? Kel's hopes rose, then were dashed when he looked up. There was no trace of colour on his face. "He was pretty shocked. He just said that Kel had gone mad and sent me down here. Actually, I volunteered. No one else wanted to." He smiled apologetically at Kel. "You're just too scary when you're angry."

"I almost forgot," Alanna said. "Lord Raoul told me to tell you that we leave in a week. After the wedding, of course." The last part was said offhandedly.

Kel sat up quickly. "Wedding?"

"Oh, didn't you know? Buri and Raoul finally decided to get it over with. We'll have trouble getting his attention a week from now."

"Oh yeah," Kel said, slightly depressed.

"Not to mention we'll get the brunt of his vexation from being away from her for so long," Dom added.

"I'm sure that you wouldn't have anything to do with that, would you Dom?" Kel asked sweetly.

"Would I do something so dreadful, good lady?" Dom replied, overly sincere and with his hand over his heart.

They all laughed, the sound of it ringing out over the courts. They eventually calmed down. "Anyway," Alanna began, still trying to catch her breath, "Lalasa should be arriving tomorrow so we'll have our first dress fitting then."

"Joy," Kel said sarcastically. Dom concealed a grin.

"Did I mention you're a bridesmaid?"

Kel looked horrified. "Me? What did I do to deserve this?" She looked imploringly at the sky.

Alanna looked at Dom, who she decided was looking too smug for his own good. "Dom," the smile was wiped off his face at her honeyed tone. "You, too, will be fitted. As a best man you have to look you're best. See you around, children." With that she strode away.

Dom and Kel looked at each other. "Why us?" Dom asked of nobody.

**I had a lot of fun writing this - maybe too much. I'm not sure when I'll get the next one up. I have to work out a few things first. For those who think Kel's a bit out of character, she'll probably be like this for the rest of the story. Anyway, thanks to all reviewers. I love you guys! :D**


	5. Chapter 5

Lalasa arrived the next day, just after lunch. Kel had spent the morning sparring Alanna and jousting with Raoul. She was bruised all over and wasn't in the mood for talk about what colour would go with her eyes and whether wide or short sleeves would suit her figure.

Neal, who was sent to fetch her for dress fittings, was lucky enough to get the full force of her mood. He knocked on the door. "Kel, open up!" She let him in, just having put away her practice weapons and padding. He was grinning. "How was flying lessons?"

Kel glared at him. "I can guess why you're here," she said shortly and slammed the door in his face.

"My, my, testy, aren't we?" Neal chuckled. "Buri threatened that if you didn't go now, she will personally see that you get the worst jobs on patrol." He smirked when she opened the door a crack and peeked out. "What she didn't say, but I'm sure she meant, was that if she had to suffer then so do you."

Kel opened the door wider and smiled sweetly at him, though her eyes still flashed. "Did she mention that it would be partly your fault for letting me be late? Which means you will cop whatever she persuades Raoul to do to me as well." Neal lost his smile. It was Kel's turn to smirk. "I'm going to indulge myself and have a nice, long and relaxing bath. Then I will enjoy watching Buri torment you."

"But – but you…"

Kel tossed her head. "It's worth seeing you squirm." She walked off to the baths, a pile of clean clothes in her arms, leaving a horrified Neal behind her.

"Don't do this to me!" he wailed dramatically. "Kel!"

--

Kel stood on a stool with her arms held out to the sides, feeling foolish. The room was cluttered with different materials and threads, a range of different colours, all shining in the sunlight streaming through the open window. The sounds of birds, dogs and the ringing clash of metal on metal floated in. Kel looked out longingly, the sky was clear and it was a beautiful day.

Buri gave her a nudge. "Don't even think about it," she murmured. She was measuring Kel, calling out numbers to Lalasa who wrote them down. Kel grimaced. Being wrapped in material and poked with pins was not her idea of fun.

"Ok, that's it," Buri said, moving away from the irritated knight. Kel stepped off the stool gratefully.

"I like this one," Alanna said. She was sitting at the only desk in the room, looking through a pile of sheets. She held up one of them. It showed a sketch of a dress with a moderately low neckline and tight sleeves. It was a basic design, one that details could be added to later.

Kel looked at it closely. "I think the neckline's a bit low."

"Well I think you shouldn't get a say, considering how late you were," Buri snapped. "I like it," she said mildly to Alanna. Kel got the impression Buri was only agreeing with Alanna because she was annoyed at Kel.

"The sleeves could be modified," Lalasa said, business-like, whisking the sheet from Alanna and studying it carefully. "A little longer and wider, I think."

Buri and Alanna nodded as Kel stood watching. She wasn't good with these things and never felt comfortable dressing up. Not with her figure and especially not after the teasing she'd received as a child.

Alanna turned back to the pile. "And this one for the bride." She watched the others for their reactions as she showed them the design.

"Oh!" Buri exclaimed, delighted despite her well-known dislike for anything too fancy. "I like it a lot. What do you think, Kel?" She seemed to have forgotten her irritation with the younger girl for the moment.

It was styled a little like the kimonos worn in the Yamani Islands, the sleeves were long and wide and a thinner version of an obi circled the waist. This left the material to fall freely to the ground in folds, something kimonos didn't. "It would suit you," Kel said simply and truthfully.

For the rest of the afternoon they discussed the wedding and heard the latest gossip from Corus from Lalasa. They worked on the designs and picked out colours for each of them: light green for both Alanna and Kel and a creamy white for Buri.

When they were finished they all helped to clean up the worst of the mess. Before they left for the mess hall Lalasa said crisply, "I should have the basics done by tomorrow. We can fit them properly and add to them then."

Kel headed to the mess hall for the night meal. She joined the line for the food and looked for her friends from there. She noticed that there were less people than the night before. She saw Owen and Neal in heated discussion at one of the tables. Once her tray was loaded she sat across from them, grinning as she heard what they were talking about.

"They haven't jousted for years! Raoul would have improved by then!" Neal was saying, almost shouting.

Owen shook his head and retorted, "Wyldon was the last person to unseat him. If he's improved so much, why doesn't he challenge him?"

"Owen's right," Kel pointed out before Neal could say anything. "My lord said that he would rather keep his reputation than challenge Wyldon."

"Oh, hi Kel!" Owen said cheerfully. "Didn't see you there."

"Shame on you," a familiar voice scolded. "Not noticing a lady's presence." Dom grinned at Kel before sitting next to her.

They were so close as to be almost touching. Kel looked down at her plate, taking a moment to gather herself, before grinning up at Dom in reply. "Whatever shall we do with them?" It was all she could do to keep from blushing as he continued to smile down at her.

"They have the manners of three-year-olds. Should we spank them like naughty little boys?" He replied quite seriously, his expression suddenly serious. Kel could see, however, that he was having a hard time trying not to laugh.

Kel schooled her face to mirror his. "A wonderful idea. Would you like the honor of the first spank?"

They burst out laughing. Neal and Owen, however, were pouting. In a perfect imitation of the Dom the day before, Neal sighed and asked, "Why us?" This only encouraged Dom and Kel to laugh all the harder.

After a little while there was a lull in the general conversation, in which Kel voiced her thoughts. "Is it just me or are there less people here? You'd think it would be the opposite with the wedding and all."

Dom shook his head and swallowed his mouthful of food. "Four squads left just after lunch. Two from Third Company and two regulars."

"Ok. So when do you leave?" Kel was hoping that his squad would be one of the ones travelling with the knights and commander to the rendezvous point.

"We leave in five days time, with you and Raoul."

Kel almost jumped for joy. The trip seemed to be getting better and better. First she got to fight with her hero, the Lioness, and now Dom was accompanying her on the ride. The feeling only lasted for a moment. She remembered New Hope, the dirty orphans and the citizens of burned down villages and towns. They'd all been through so much and were only now beginning to hope again. Her spirits sank.

Neal, who guessed the reason for her now glum expression, said reassuringly, "Don't worry about New Hope. The refugees are all capable of taking care of themselves, thanks to you. If anything does go wrong Merric's there."

"I know," Kel said, resting her forearms on the table and looking down at her plate. "I'm not worried, exactly. "I just feel like I'm abandoning them."

"They'll understand," Dom piped up. "They know you have other duties and won't blame you for what you have to do." He took a sip of his drink. "They'll also remember what you risked when you went into Scanra to save them."

Throughout the rest of the meal Kel sometimes felt a prickly feeling at the base of her neck. It felt uncomfortably like someone was watching her. Whenever she looked up, all she saw was Dom turning his head to say something to Neal and Owen or the three laughing at a joke or story one of them had told.

"So, Kel," Neal said casually once he'd finished, leaning back slightly on his chair and putting his hands behind his head. "How did dress fittings go?" He smirked.

Dom and Owen exchanged glances as Kel put on her best Yamani face. She was not in the mood to deal with Neal when he was like this. "Very well, thank you," she replied politely, upending her mug of water over his head.

"Kel!" he protested indignantly, wet hair flopping into his eyes. The others sniggered as Kel tossed her head, ignored him and continued to eat.

When she felt someone's eyes on her again the feeling was a lot stronger. She looked up into a pair of very blue eyes. For a split second that seemed to last for a long time there was just the two of them. Her head swam. Dom gave her a quick grin, making her heart jump into her mouth, before becoming very interested in his food. Kel frowned, puzzled. What was that about?

**I fixed up the mistake where Lalasa says basically the same thing twice. When i was rewriting a bit of it I must of accidently left a bit there and repeated myself. Anyway, it's longer chapter. I know people have said it before, but I only just realized how short they were. Hopefully I can make them even longer. I got this done a bit sooner than I thought. I've now got most of the storyline worked out. Keep reviewing people! I love them!**


	6. Chapter 6

The next few days before the wedding sped by in much the same way. Every morning Kel would rise early, as usual, and perform a pattern dance before heading to the mess for breakfast. She would then spar with Alanna and joust with Raoul. Until Buri found out. Once she'd figured out where her future husband went to each morning she had stormed out onto the jousting field and proceeded to yell at both Kel and the cringing knight. Among the screams and rants the offenders picked up that Buri didn't want a bruised bridesmaid and groom. Kel tried hard not to laugh at Raoul's disappointed expression. She earned a glare from Buri before the small woman stormed off.

After training she had a hurried bath before lunch, which was eaten quickly so she could get to dress fittings in time. She didn't want to upset Buri more than she had to, especially after her episode that one morning. It was amazing how fast Lalasa could work. She hadn't had much time to begin with, but was making the most of it and the dresses were finished the day before the wedding.

That last day was spent in a rush of preparation. It seemed like a blur to Kel, who was caught up in the excitement. She managed to make it through it all. That night at supper the mess hall was even more crowded than usual. More soldiers had arrived from eastern forts, passing through and staying for the wedding. Kel piled food on her plate and headed to where she normally sat with her friends. A surprise waited for her.

"Kel!" A knight with a shock of red hair and freckles jumped to his feet and waved frantically at her.

"Merric! When did you get here?" she asked, clasping her friend's hand warmly and beaming at Faleron, Seaver and Esmond, who were also sitting at the table.

"Just after lunch," Merric replied as he sat back down.

Owen and Neal wriggled apart to make room for her. She squeezed into the vacant spot. "Is it true that the King and Sir Gareth are coming for the wedding?" she asked once she was settled.

Dom, who was opposite her, shook his head. "No. They were invited but since we got the news about the Isles they've been snowed under." He almost had to yell over the noise of clanking cutlery and chatting voices. "They're just too busy."

"It's a shame," Neal put in. "From what I've heard they were good friends with Raoul and Alanna. I heard a lot about their page years from Alanna." He grinned. "Mostly it was advice on what not to do."

"Roald came, though," Owen chimed in. "He's with the senior officers. I bet he wishes he was here."

The rest of the evening was spent catching up and discussing the latest news. Kel sat and listened mostly. She was still exhausted. It was all she could do not to fall asleep. By the end of the meal she was yawning constantly. Her friends exchanged amused glances each time. When she collapsed into bed later on she was asleep by the time her head hit the pillow.

--

Kel opened her eyes and blinked sleepily at the ceiling. Once she'd cleared the gunk from them she sat up and glanced at the window. No light shone through. She groaned and flopped back down again, glaring at the shadowed roof. Why couldn't she sleep in for once? Just once? She sighed heavily and, being careful not to disturb the sparrows resting on her pillow, swung out of bed.

After dressing and splashing her face with ice cold water, Kel went to take down her practice glaive from the weapons rack. She paused and thought for a moment. It was still early. Maybe she should go for a run. She left her glaive on the rack and headed outside.

The morning air was fresh and crisp. She loved exercising at this time of day, despite its earliness. It cleared her head. At this point in life, she needed all the clearing she could get. She finished her jog at the time she usually woke. By then others were beginning to stir.

When she opened the door to her room she had to cover her head with her hands. Sparrows darted around her, chirping anxiously. Kel laughed and shooed them inside before shutting the door. "I just went for a run!" she exclaimed, still laughing at their antics. "Nothing to be worried about." They calmed down eventually and let Kel fetch her glaive.

She arrived at the practice courts, where a tall, muscular, dark-haired man waited. "What are you doing here?" she asked curiously.

Dom grinned cheerfully. "I'm on a suicide mission."

Kel snorted and crossed her arms. She raised an eyebrow, waiting.

He laughed at her expression. "I swear we all spend way too much time around Neal." He bowed. "I'm here to spar with you, Lady Knight, and face my doom."

Kel grinned, hefting her glaive. "Do you mind if I use this?"

"Gods yes," he answered, looking genuinely horrified. "You'd slaughter me. I've seen you practice. Here, I brought you this." He handed her a practice sword. Its edges were dulled so if someone lost control it wouldn't do as much damage.

She leaned the glaive against a wall and, when she was ready, they faced off in the guard position. As if responding to some unknown signal, both attacked at the same time. From then on their swords were blurs of movement, metal glinting in the morning sunlight.

Kel noticed how Dom's muscles shifted and bulged under his clothes. His eyes were narrowed in concentration as he executed each move perfectly. She scolded herself for getting distracted and promised herself to pay more attention.

In the instant that she lost focus Dom pressed the advantage. He deflected a wide blow and stepped inside her defenses. One arm blocked her sword arm from cutting at his side and the other held his sword to her throat. He was panting, his warm breath blowing slightly on her face. They were so close. Kel's heart beat faster.

"Yield," he demanded with a small smile.

She grinned, he'd forgotten something. As he realized his mistake his eyes widened a fraction of a second before Kel drew back slightly, crouched and swept his legs out from under him with hers. He fell backwards with at thud. She kicked his sword away and rested hers on his throat.

"You were already dead," he protested. Kel only smiled and pressed a little harder. "OK, ok. I yield!" he gasped, raising his hands in defeat.

"Never let your guard down," she said, amused. She kept him at sword point for a while longer, and then offered a hand to help him up. His touch sent a jolt through her arm. As soon as he was on his feet Kel dropped his hand like lead.

Dom gave her a searching look. "I had you!" he exclaimed, brushing dirt from his breeches. She only smiled in reply and started toward the opposite side of the court, missing the mischievous gleam in his eyes. During the fight they'd moved some way from where they'd started.

Kel felt a tug on her arm and, before she could react, was thrown backwards over Dom's hip to land heavily on the dirt on her back. He leant over her, a grin splitting his face. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Never let your guard down."

His warm breath tickled the sensitive skin and she couldn't suppress a shiver. Dom drew back slightly and their eyes locked. His were a very deep blue. The grin faded. Kel thought she saw him lean in closer. Her breath caught and her heart drummed in her chest. She couldn't move.

"What's going on here?" a brisk voice demanded. Out of the corner of her eye Kel saw Neal striding over. She could have killed him.

Dom stood, no trace of the emotions Kel thoughts she'd seen before on his face. "We were just sparring," he said casually, heaving her to her feet.

"Just sparring?" Neal asked skeptically. "It didn't look like it to me." Kel didn't know why he was so irritated.

"Why are you here anyway?" Dom retorted.

Kel, sensing an argument and wanting to stay out of it, escaped to fetch her glaive. When she got back she could still feel the tension between the cousins, even though they'd stopped talking. She raised both eyebrows at them, waiting. They were standing, arms crossed, pointedly avoiding each others' eyes.

Neal was the first to speak. "Did you two want breakfast?" he asked somewhat dejectedly. "They're serving the food early because a few squads are leaving soon. The cooks didn't want that many men in the kitchen at the same time. So they made us get up early," he said sourly.

"Squads are leaving?" Kel repeated. "Aren't they staying for the wedding?"

Neal shook his head. "We have to keep them moving. Anyway," he glanced at Dom, "I'm off. I don't want to miss out on food." He turned on his heel and left.

"What was that about?" Kel asked once he'd gone.

"Nothing," Dom mumbled. "Let's go eat."

Kel returned her weapon to her room while Dom put away the swords. Once she'd hung up the weapon she collapsed onto chair behind her desk and put her head in her hands. What had just happened at the practice courts? What hadn't happened was probably a better question. If Neal hadn't interrupted… She stopped that thought. She couldn't assume anything.

There was a knock on her door. "Are you coming?" It was Dom.

"Yeah… in a sec." Kel stood and opened the door. He smiled, but didn't really meet her eyes. "Let's go."

Through their conversation at breakfast there were undertones of awkwardness. Dom seemed a bit distant, like he was thinking about something completely different. Kel finally decided there was no point talking to him while things were like this and concentrated on eating.

When he'd finished Dom rose quickly, almost knocking his plate off the table. He steadied it and met Kel's eyes for the first time since they'd left the practice courts. "I should drill the men," he said, somewhat rushed. "They've been getting lazy." Before she could think of a reply he was gone.

She stayed in the mess hall for a while longer, finishing breakfast and thinking. Her thoughts constantly returned to that moment in the practice courts, just before Neal arrived. She caught herself wondering what would have happened if he hadn't come. She needed something to distract her from those thoughts. It had just been one instant. She couldn't read too much into it.

After returning her empty plates to the servers she wandered to her room, thinking of things to distract her. Nothing came to mind. She was forbidden to joust, riding was probably a bad idea and the only person who wasn't busy or scared of sparring with her had disappeared. Kel sighed. Her answer was sitting on her desk. Reports.

She stared at the blank pieces of paper and notes scattered in front of her. These were her last reports for New Hope. As much as she hated writing them and would be glad when she didn't have to, it was depressing thinking that this was her last act as commander. Tears pricked her eyes. She blinked them away, annoyed at herself for being sentimental. It was like the times when she had to release the animals she'd cared for back into the wild. She knew she had to do it – had known from the start – but knowing didn't make the pain any less. She'd been avoiding thinking about the reports since the meeting. She set herself for a long, grueling morning and began.

Finally she was finished. Staring outside she stretched. It was almost lunch time. Kel stretched again and stood. She cleared her room and warmed up briefly for a pattern dance in the space. Her muscles were 

stiff and slow as she began, but soon loosened up until she was comfortably and effortlessly swinging her glaive. Not long after she finished there was a knock on her door.

"Your things have arrived," a soldier said when she opened it.

"Things?" Kel asked, confused for a moment before remembering that she'd left behind weapons and equipment at New Hope when she left. "I'll be out in a moment."

There wasn't much being taken out of the wagon when she arrived at the gates. Most of her things were practical – a habit picked up from her time with the Own – and carried with her. She watched as they carried her weapons, bow, arrows, spare sword and warhammer, inside. By the time everything was put away it was lunch.

She sat in the mess with Neal, Esmond, Faleron and Seaver. Owen had duties with Wyldon and Dom hadn't turned up. Kel was wondering where he was when Prince Roald walked up. "I finally got away," he said with a rueful grin as he sat next to her.

Despite the cheery atmosphere caused by the upcoming wedding, there was still a feeling of tension in the room. Laughter seemed forced and there wasn't as much talk as usual. No one could shake the indescribable feeling that comes before war – or in this case a rekindling of the war.

"Kel," a voice said from behind. Kel looked to see who it was. Alanna stood there, hands on hips. "Buri wanted me to remind you that we're going to start getting ready straight after lunch." Kel grimaced while her friends hid their amusement. "She didn't want you forgetting, or having an excuse to come late." Alanna smiled understandingly and walked off.

--

They were almost ready. Alanna and Kel wore essentially the same dress while Buri looked stunning in her cream and white wedding dress. The obi-like belt had embroidered patterns of wide, blooming flowers and swans in silver with pearls. The material flowed in layers from the belt, trailing the ground behind the bride.

"I fell ridiculous," Buri said when she emerged from the dressing room, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.

"That's only because you haven't seen yourself yet," Alanna retorted. "See, you look beautiful," she said as Buri stood in front of the mirror, gaping.

Kel laughed. "Hold still," Lalasa ordered. The former maid turned dressmaker was pinning up Kel's hair. She slid in the last few pins then stood back, looking over her work with a critical eye. She nodded and smiled, pleased. "Finished."

Kel's hands automatically strayed to her hair, feeling around for the pins and ornaments. "Stop that," Lalasa scolded. "Go admire yourself."

When she looked into it, the mirror reflected a stranger. A tall, beautiful woman stared back at Kel. She couldn't believe it was her. Light brown, sun-streaked hair was pinned at the back of her head while some of it spilled down her back. It was longer than usual; she would have to do something about that before she left Steadfast. Her green dress did more than bring out a darker shade of the same colour in her eyes; when she turned from side to side she saw that the way it sat on her shoulders and around her waist accented her trim figure. Some of the outfits she used to wear made her look thick waisted and broad-shouldered. It was perfect.

"Wow," she breathed, tears brimming in her eyes. She looked beautiful. "Lalasa-" She turned to the dressmaker.

"My lady, don't," Lalasa said, knowing what the knight wanted to say.

Kel nodded and looked to see if the person staring out of the mirror hadn't vanished. An image of Dom reacting with amazement at her appearance rose in her mind. Kel gulped and pushed the thought down and out of the way. From the way he'd avoided her today that would never happen. She sighed inwardly. It seemed like she couldn't even put on a pretty dress without thinking of him.

Finally there was a knock on the door. "Come in," Buri and Alanna chorused. They grinned at each other.

Wyldon stepped through the door, looking impressive in his house colours. Buri glided over to him. He offered his hand and turned toward the open door. Turning his head back he said, "Shall we?" It was time.

**Finally another chapter! A lot longer too, though I didn't really like this one too much. Please review!! I love them and they keep me writing.**


	7. Chapter 7

The sound of voices floated through the closed double doors. Kel fidgeted with a fold in her dress, waiting for the moment when they entered the hall. She wasn't quite sure why she was nervous – well, maybe she did – but there was no way she would admit the reason, even to herself. She glanced at Buri. Surely she was more nervous than Kel. If she was she didn't show it.

Kel envied the small woman's calm. She stood talking quietly to Alanna, who also didn't seem to be nervous at all. When she sensed Kel watching her she turned and gave her a wink and a small smile. Kel didn't feel the least bit better.

Wyldon stood by the doors, listening intently. He cleared his throat and said, "I think we should go in now."

Buri took a deep breath and nodded, looking both excited and, for the first time that evening, tense. She rested her hand on Wyldon's arm. Two regulars pulled the doors open wide. Buri stepped forward with Wyldon next to her. They paused in the centre of the doorway. All talk ceased and all eyes turned on Buri. Music began to play and the bride stepped forward solemnly to make her way down the aisle.

Kel gazed around at the densely packed hall, pointedly avoiding looking at the groom and his companions. She didn't think they could fit many more people in it, no matter how hard they tried. There were a lot of seats and yet people were still left standing. The people she knew were seated at the front of the hall. Neal grinned at her and Yuki, sitting beside him, gave Kel an encouraging smile. Merric and Roald also beamed at her, but most others' eyes were on Buri. Kel didn't blame them, she looked amazing.

Behind a fidgeting Raoul stood Dom, striking in the Own's colours of blue and silver. His eyes flicked to hers and widened slightly, as if he'd only just recognised her. Almost as quickly he looked away. Kel's heart plummeted. She looked down. What had she expected? That a pretty dress and some face paint would make him see her as more than a friend? She had to accept that there wouldn't be anything more between them. Lifting her head she smiled politely, trying hard not to glance at the source of her heartache.

Most of the ceremony was a blur. Kel could only recall the vows and the whistles and cheers from Raoul's men as he kissed his new wife. They were hard to miss. Kel clapped and cheered with the rest of them, happiness for her former knight-master shining through her face.

Raoul and Buri, followed by Alanna and George and Kel and Dom, preceded the guests to the mess hall, which had been set up for the reception. Kel kept her eyes in front of her as she walked with Dom. There had to be some sort of conspiracy, putting her with him.

The door opened to reveal tables arranged at one end, leaving the other clear for dancing. A space was set aside for the musicians, who'd just finished setting up and were preparing to play. Wall hangings that pictured flowers and romantic scenes had been hung up especially for the wedding.

Kel paused, taking it all in. "Kel," Dom urged, tugging on her arm. People were crowding past them. "We have to dance soon."

He led her to the front of the crowd to watch as Buri and Raoul moved into the centre of the floor. The musicians began to play. The couple began to dance, lost in each others' eyes.

"So what was up between you and Neal the other day?" Kel was still curious what had made Neal so upset.

Dom coloured a little. "Nothing really. He was just being a jealous Meathead." He turned back to continue to watch the dancing. Kel turned as well, thinking.

It didn't seem long until Dom whispered, "Our turn." He pulled her with him into the dance. Alanna and George were already there.

His hand was on her waist, making her skin tingle. She felt like she was going to burst with feelings. He was so close. A light flush rose to her cheeks. She looked up at him. He grinned down at her and she smiled weakly in reply, her heart melting.

The music, people and surroundings seemed to fade. At that moment, nothing mattered. She wasn't sure how long it lasted, but she knew it wasn't long enough. Suddenly she was brought back to reality by the sound of applause. The music had stopped and the dance finished.

Dom's hand lingered on her waist. When he finally took it away she felt like she'd lost something. They stepped away from each other slowly, never breaking eye contact.

He let out a little laugh and reached up to scratch the back of his head, breaking the intensity. "Umm… so, it looks like we can finally make an escape." He grinned easily.

"Mmm," she murmured, craning her neck to pretend to be looking for someone. In truth she was trying to sort her feelings out. It seemed like his hand had burnt a print into her skin.

"Do you want a drink?"

Kel shook her head. Dom took one, long, last look at her before walking off. She watched his retreating back until he disappeared among the crowd. She felt quivery inside and warm and a little flushed on the outside. She needed fresh air to clear her mind.

Kel headed outside, leaving the sounds of laughter and music behind her. The air was definitely fresh. She sat on a bench and gazed up at the stars. The bright spots of light formed pictures, constellations she recalled they were called. She loved to find them. Smiling slightly and squinting she traced the outline of a cat with her hand.

--

It was the cold that eventually broke her out of her thoughts. She shivered and thought longingly of the warmth in the hall. Kel stood and stretched, then headed inside. Alanna and George sat a table with a tall, blond man. He had big shoulders and, when she got closer she saw that he had serious, dark brown eyes. They seemed to be involved in a serious discussion, which broke off the moment they saw Kel approaching.

"Kel!" Alanna said. "Enjoying the party?"

Kel nodded enthusiastically, breaking off from studying the stranger to regard the knight. She felt eyes boring into her and glanced back at the dark-eyed man.

George saw her look and smiled. "This is Will. Will, meet Lady Kel."

"Will's a-" Alanna began to add, then paused, "-an acquaintance of ours."

Will inclined his head politely, continuing to study her over the rim of his wine cup as he took a sip. His brows were raised slightly. Kel bowed back, forgetting for a moment she was in a dress. He smiled and put his drink down deliberately. He stood slowly. Kel looked up. He was tall. "Would you like to dance?"

Kel grinned at him. "Why not?"

He seemed to find her reply amusing, however, and his smiled broadened. There was a twinkle of laughter in his eyes. She was beginning to like this man.

Will led her to join the dance effortlessly, his movements graceful and balanced. He was a fighter, a good one. The dance was similar to the first. "So you're the one who rode into Scanra?" It was more of a statement than a question, said casually.

"Yes."

"I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed," he teased. "From what I've heard I imagined you to be seven feet tall and have killer birds constantly flying around your head wherever you went."

Kel blushed a little and mumbled something about how people always tended to exaggerate things.

Will tilted his head back and laughed. It was a deep, friendly sound that made Kel warm to him even more. "So modest," he said, still grinning.

Kel couldn't help but smile in return. "So, are you staying long?"

"Not sure." He shrugged. "Until I'm needed elsewhere, which I hope will be a while. I haven't had a chance to rest since… I forget when. I've been wanting to meet you for a very long time."

They talked about general things and exchanged stories. Each one never failed to make her laugh. The dance eventually finished. Will bowed and kissed her hand, eyes staring into hers. "It's been an honour." Swiftly he turned and strode through the crowd, back the way he'd come, before she could respond.

Kel gazed around. Somewhere in the mass of people she caught a pair of very blue eyes watching her. She blinked and they were gone.

"Kel." She almost jumped ten feet in the air. Yuki appeared beside her, fan hiding her mouth as her eyes crinkled. "Thinking about someone?"

"No," Kel snapped, a bit too quickly.

The Yamani hooked her fan back onto her belt and smiled openly. "Of course not. Who were you dancing with just then?"

"He's a… friend… of George and Alanna's."

"I see." They stood in silence, watching the multitude of colourful dancers twirling around on the dance floor.

A familiar drawl announced the arrival of Neal and Merric. "Nice night." Neal was flushed and had a dazed look about him.

"He's had a bit to drink," Merric explained with a grin.

"Have not!" Neal retorted. He bowed, stumbling a little. "Would you honour me with a dance, my Yamani flower?"

Yuki sighed. "I guess I should." She gave Kel a quick wink over her shoulder as they joined the dancers.

"So how are things at New Hope?" Kel asked. She hadn't really had a good chance before now to ask.

Merric shrugged. "Nothing's changed much. Flyn came not long before I left to request some help to set up a temporary camp for the soldiers to rest in as they came through." He sighed. "We're not nearly as far along with the movements as we'd like."

"So who went?"

"Some of the carpenters, former convicts, refugees and children. They all really wanted to help out. Now that New Hope's almost finished, I think they wanted something else useful to do."

"Are you sure it's safe?" Kel was worried. The raids hadn't completely stopped yet and this would be a perfect chance for the Scanrans to do some damage.

Merric shrugged again. "They insisted. I said it would be ok because there would be men of the Own there as well. I have to admit, they can be pretty insistent when they want something."

Kel gnawed on her bottom lip. She didn't have a good feeling about this. "When do they get back?"

"Flyn's taking a squad out tomorrow morning to help. It shouldn't take too much longer."

"I think I'll go with them," she mused aloud. She didn't like this at all. Merric wandered off to another group of people. Kel stayed where she was, deep in thought. Thoughts whirled in her head, making her head ache with the effort of trying to control them. What if the Scanrans attacked the refugees? It would be all her fault. What if they all died? What if they were taken again? She didn't think she could bear it.

Once again she wandered outside and paused just outside the doorway. The crisp, cool breeze played with her hair, brushing strands along her face. She closed her eyes to the sky and breathed in the night air. Smiling, she moved to the same bench she'd sat on earlier.

Her thoughts drifted. Kel no longer felt confined inside the stuffiness of the hall. She sorted through her fear for her people. She still thought of them that way, even though she no longer commanded 

them. She probably always would. Eventually her thoughts turned to Dom. She clenched her fists. How could one person confuse her so much?

Sometimes it seemed that he felt the same way she did, but other times he just acted like a good friend. What was she going to do?

Footsteps sounded behind her. She froze and turned slowly. As if summoned by her thoughts of him, Dom stood watching her, an odd expression on his face. "Kel?" She stopped mid turn so she could just see him out of the corner of her eye.

They stayed like that for a long time. Dom studied the moon as Kel continued to stare at him. Finally he broke the silence. "It's a nice night." He cleared his throat and looked at her.

Without replying she turned back to watching the stars. She didn't even realise he'd moved until she heard him sitting beside her. His warmth reached out to her, making her shiver. Kel snapped her head around to look at him. Dom's face was shadowed from the light pouring through the windows at their backs and the moon's hard silver light shining from the sky. His expression was hard to read.

"I saw you dancing with that big northerner." His tone was almost accusing.

"Will. He works for George." Kel returned to studying the stars.

"Ahh." There was silence. Dom stretched out. "We leave in a couple of days."

"Mmm."

"I wish we didn't have to. It's been good to finally have a break." More silence. Kel resisted the urge to fidget with the folds of her dress.

"Kel…" Dom's tone made her turn to face him again. He avoided her eyes.

Her pulse raced. She knew what he wanted to say, it was clear by the way he was acting, but didn't dare to hope. It was less of a disappointment if she was wrong. Dom stared at his feet. The silence once again stretched out, this time awkwardly. She waited, shivering slightly as the cold began to get to her.

"We should probably go back in," she said softly, rising off the bench and taking a step forward.

Dom was by her side in an instant. "Kel, I… I'm not sure how to say this… so…" Suddenly he looked at her. What she saw in his eyes both frightened her and made her want to burst with happiness. He took a small step closer, eyes widening slightly as he realised she wasn't backing away.

They were so close. Kel looked at his chest, directly in front of her, unable to maintain eye contact. She felt him lift her chin and closed her eyes as he pressed his lips tenderly to hers.

**So finally another chapter! Hope you liked it. :D Not as long as the other one but I just had to end it there. Thanks soooo much for all your reviews! I love them all! It might be a bit longer until I get another chapter up; my exams are next week and I just got a part time job... but I'll try.**


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